Security at Twed towers in Nakasero that also houses the court of Appeal is beefed up to restrain NUP supporters from swarming court as former National Unity and Reconciliation party president Moses Kibalama appears to explain to the judge why he swore 2 contradicting affidavits regarding the sale and change of his party to 2021 Presidential aspirant Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine .
The National Unity and Reconciliation party has since changed its name to National Unity party (NUP)
Kibalama who had been allegedly reported missing before security agencies came up to claim that he is under their protection has however portioned the blame to his first lawyer Anthony Wameeli and other lawyers from NUP headquarters who misled him into signing an affidavit whose contents he had not read .
Kibalama; a former Superintendent of police during presidents’ Obote and Amin’s regimes has turned himself in court in response to summons issued to him last week by High court judge Musa Ssekaana to throw more light on his 2 affidavits ; one being in support of an application filed by aggrieved founder members of NURP to the sale of their party to Kyagulanyi while; in the other he accepts voluntarily to change the party’s name he has been heading since 2004 to NUP.
While being asked by EC lawyer Eric Sabiiti whey he had to make 2 contradicting pieces of evidence which also constitutes an offence of giving false information to a public body , Kibalama has replied that he was compelled to make a U-turn on the change of his party name because him and some of the founder members of NURP were not given any slots in NUP which he says has now gained political fame .
It’s at this moment that Kibalama says he was intrigued to seek legal advise and make consultations from another lawyer whom he has also wrongly identified in court as James Byamukama .
This has thrown court into giggles because Kibalala gave instructions to a lawyer known as Enoc Waninda whereas James Byabakama was instructed to represent other founder members. A quick interpretation of Kibalama’s evidence shows that the 59 year old is still interested in the leadership of his party .
Kibalama is still on the witness stand ; answering questions from NUP lawyer Medard Lubega Ssegona who has since established that the affidavit retracting his earlier affirmations of agreeing to change the party name is signed 4 hours earlier than the one accepting to voluntarily to do so.
Kibalama adds that they had negotiated with Bobiwine’s to advance them with some money but by the time of finalizing negotiations, the other side had not honored its promise.
Basile Difas and Hassan Twaha claiming to be founding members of NURP in August ran to court accusing Kibalama and ten other people of selling their part to Kyagulanyi and changing the party’s name without any authorization